being non-normal

Aaaaahhhhh!!!

School starts tomorrow!

(Or today, depending on when you are reading this.)

(Or next week, if you're me.)

(Or sometime in September, if you're Canadian.)

Whatever the case, the first day of school can be great! Or terrifying, depending on who you are. Back to a constant social life, dealing with all types of kiddos in the classroom or on the playground. Seeing your good friends and spending time with them and reconnecting with those friends you haven't seen all summer.

(Now I'm a homeschooling mom, so you might wonder what exactly I do with this situation since it is a bit different for me. But that's for a different day. Keep reading and you'll see where I'm going.)

My elementary school days were difficult. I was shy and making friends didn't come easy to me because I didn't know what to say. But in 5th grade, a girl sought me out and asked me to be her friend. It took me a while to become friends with her, probably because I was so apprehensive about how friendship worked. But she saved my life. She helped to shape me into the woman I am today. She built me up and stood by me through thick and thin. She saw my value.

I tell you that story for this reason: kids who are different need friends too. The shy kids, the weird kids, those with some sort of disability, the hyper kids, the kid who looks different than everyone else, any kid who doesn't fit what the world tends to determine as the "norm."

Encourage your kids to include and interact with the "different" kids. And teach them how to do that. Give them examples of what they can say or do. Communicate the value of each and every child in their class. (Even the rough and tough ones need kindness, even if you wouldn't encourage a friendship.) It could make the biggest difference not only in that child's life, but in your child's life as well. 

The world is full of people who don't fit the norm. And if we're being totally honest, I'm pretty sure your kiddo has a few "unique" characteristics as well. I know mine do...and I did, and most of my friends do too. But I wouldn't change them into "normal" for anything. 

I'm pretty sure that's WWJD. 

(Ok, so maybe I shouldn't bring that back? I don't know. It fits almost so well...maybe?)

KC